LMS 7511 Restaurant First Open
LMS Restaurant First Open (RFO) 7511 was designed by W A (later Sir William) Stanier following his appointment as CME to the LMS. It was built at Wolverton in 1934 as lot number 954 to Diagram 1915. It would seat 42 First Class passengers in near-Pullman luxury on principal express services, and could also be laid up for use as a dining car.
After service with the LMS and BR (renumbered as 38740), 7511 was acquired by Gilt Edge Carpets of Kidderminster for use as a mobile carpet showroom in the same exhibition train as 149. Gilt Edge donated it to the SVR in July 1969 who used it for dormitory accommodation at Bridgnorth until 1988, after which it was stored out of use for some time.
In 1999 a then-active SVR preservation group, the ‘LMS & BR Coach Fund’, purchased 7511 for a nominal sum and began raising funds to restore it. The LMS & BR Coach Fund donated all its vehicles to The SVR Charitable Trust in 2007. A near 10-year £75,000 restoration at Bridgnorth was completed in 2009, incorporating many parts retrieved from the grounded body of 7571 at Butterley. 7511 became the first LMS vehicle on the SVR to feature the LMS 1933-34 full livery including gold-leaf and vermillion lining. The high standard of accuracy and finish won the Heritage Railway Association's Carriage & Wagon Competition in 2010.
Since then 7511 has seen use in the Severn Valley Venturer dining set paired with 1682, substituting for BR 3103 First Open while the latter was allocated to other duties. It is otherwise not normally used in service trains, but is available for special dining trains etc.
Sources
Railway Heritage Register Carriage Survey
SVR Stock Book Ninth Edition
SVR Charitable Trust